State DREAM Act Passes in Florida, Fails in New York

State legislators in Florida and New York both voted on bills to support DREAMers this month.

In Florida, a bill giving DREAMers access to in-state tuition passed through the state’s legislature. In New York, however, legislators shot down a bill proposing DREAMers be given access to financial aid for the state’s public and private higher-education institutions.

In Florida, the in-state tuition legislation—Senate Bill 1400—passed through the Florida House. The bill would let undocumented students pay in-state tuition rates in cases where they’ve attended a public high school for three straight years before graduating. Legislation also includes limiting institutional tuition increases.

Sen. Jack Latvala, the Clearwater Republican who sponsored the bill, said the proposal recognizes that undocumented immigrants already support state institutions through the taxes they pay.

“These parents pay the same sales taxes, the same gas taxes, and many of the other taxes that we pay who have students that qualify for in-state tuition,” he said as reported by the Miami Herald.

In New York, legislators voted down the state’s DREAM Act, legislation that would have let DREAMers apply for financial aid for attendance at one of the state’s public or private colleges. The bill failed on a 30-29 mostly partisan vote. Thirty-two votes were needed to pass the bill into law.

“It continues to be a nightmare for the DREAMers,” Sen. Jose Peralta, one democratic backer of the bill, said as reported by New York Daily News.

The bill also had the backing of New York’s Democratic governor, Andrew Cuomo. While the governor expressed disappointment at the bill’s defeat, he also promised the effort to grant DREAMers with educational opportunities is not over.

“I will continue to work with supporters, stakeholders and members of the legislature to achieve this dream and build the support to pass this legislation and preserve New York’s legacy as a progressive leader,” he said in a statement released Mar. 17.

Post navigation

We are not a law firm, and this site and our software are not a substitute for the advice of a lawyer and do not contain or constitute legal advice. We are not affiliated with or sponsored by the United States government or any government agency. This site provides general information on some commonly encountered immigration matters only and was created to allow you to more simply navigate your completion of immigration paperwork using online software. The content on this site should not be relied on to reach conclusions about any person's specific situation. Self-help software and customer support services are provided solely at a user's direction. Customer support is for technical and billing issues only and will not answer legal questions. We do not provide legal advice, opinions, or recommendations about any individual's specific legal rights, remedies, defenses, options, or strategies. We do not make form recommendations or recommend or provide answers to specific questions on forms, and communications between you and us are not protected by any privilege. Purchase prices do not include applicable government agency filing or biometrics fees, if any. The forms that can be completed using our software can be obtained for free from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) as blank forms with written instructions. Automated eligibility quizzes were created using instructions, rules and regulations published by the USCIS and only indicate whether you meet minimum eligibility requirements to apply for the given immigration benefit. Quiz results do not guarantee eligibility or ineligibility as you may or may not be eligible based on reasons not addressed in the quizzes. Your access to and use of this site, including any purchase, is subject to and constitutes your agreement to the website Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Refunds will only be issued if requested within thirty (30) days and before completed application is printed. Exceptions and restrictions may apply; see Refund Policy for details.